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5 Signs of a Displaced Farmer

You may be a displaced farmer if you give directions using east or west, or you think all your neighbors in town really need a rain gauge. Like fish out of water, townies immediately spot displaced farmers recently (or not so recently) moved from the farm to living in town.

Growing up, I longed to live in town. I dreamed about living just a short walk from the drugstore or Dairy Queen. I imagined what it would be like to play with other kids in the neighborhood. When I received my driver’s license, I dreaded our long gravel lanes in winter; let’s just say neither brothers, nor dad loved plowing snow. I eyed our snow covered lane between telephone poles. #livingonaprayer

Top Five Tell Tale Signs of a Displaced Farmer

You may be a displaced farmer if….

1.) The concept of “designated” trash days confuses you. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know I still fail to grasp this concept. Even after living in Paris for 18 months, kind garbage men and neighbors move my garbage the curb for me. Thank the lord for people helping their slow neighbor.

2.) Locked doors and house keys add weight to your bag or pocket. Growing up I never carried house keys. My family never locked our doors. Even when we went on vacation, my grandparents and hired hands worked down the hill from our home on our home farm. One of our county deputies also lived a few miles down the gravel road. Now I lock my doors each time I leave my apartment and before going to bed.

3.) Window blinds represent a huge colossal hindrance to your life. This is the everlasting battle between sunlight and privacy. On the farm, we never worried about neighbors; blinds served to shield from blinding us at the exact moment the sun went down. Are neighbors really looking if you open the blinds? When is it safe to raise the blinds? And who are these neighbors looking? #thestruggleisreal

Open space as far as you can see! Sam, our yellow Lab loves to say hello!

4.) You still get giddy inside when you realize restaurants deliver to your address. Growing up, we automatically answered carryout to any pizza place that asked delivery or carry out. Living out of town, no one understands that you actually can distinguish between trees and fields to find my house in the country. Contrary to popular belief, not all rural scenery looks the same! And finally…

5.) You still consider your ‘vacation home’ to be the farm. After all, when I take vacation time, I often return to my family’s farm to taste fresh sweet corn, head out to the backyard to play with our Labrador, and hitch a tractor ride or two during spring planting and harvest.

And my mom’s response to my childhood complaints above? Remember, that gravel road got you to where you are today. Fair point, because now I miss those gravel lanes and our dog, greeting me when I come home. In town, I love my neighbors and I still get excited when I have time to go home for lunch. I also love the convenience of taking five minutes to run the store or go out to eat. But I always remember my ag roots.